Dog experts- need advice

[Jenzebelle]

I have 2 beagles. A 5yr old female and a 3yr old male.

The female is a good girl in public- plays great with other dogs. Loves people. Doesn't bark. Is only slightly jumpy. She's very sweet and gentle (for the most part).

The male, on the other hand, is starting to become uncontrollable in public. To be honest, I feel like a parent with a screaming out of control child in a grocery store. He's very good with people and children - a little jumpy but very affectionate and very patient with them. He's becoming aggressive towards other dogs. Not all dogs though - usually male dogs bigger than he is (not hard to find considering he is 13inches tall and weighs 19lbs).

This is a very recent thing- only in the past 9mos or so. He has been socialized in the past by going often to the park where there are other dogs and going to doggy day care once a week. He went through obedience school when he was a puppy and did fairly well.

Today at Petsmart he was good around a golden, a sheltie, and a mini doby. He sniffed the back of a bulldog and didn't start barking until it turned to face him. He flipped out on a boxer standing at the register. I don't know if he thinks the dog is encroaching on his territory or he's trying to protect me. I tried to let him sniff the dog since he normally flips out when he wants to say hi and can't, but he snapped at the boxer.

I don't know what to do. If DH and I go on vacation, we're not going to be able to board them if he continues. I had wanted to go on the walkathon for PARL but can't if he's out of control. My vet doesn't seem to be concerned about his behavior - she says that he feels threatened or that I or my female beagle is being threatened and he would calm down if able to play with the other dog for a few minutes and they decide for themselves who is the alpha. However, it's not like any other owner (or kennel owner) is going to let that play out.

Any suggestions or advice?

 

[Jenzebelle]

bump.. anyone?

 

[DoeWDW]

Oh, Jenn! I wish I had an easy answer for you!

My 2 yr old female mini dachshund is not good with anyone outside our family - dogs or people. We tried to do all the right things also - obedience classes, socializing, etc. I guess it's just her temperament.

On an encouraging note, we did board her while we went on vacation for 2 weeks. We found a local kennel with separate indoor/outdoor fenced runs for each dog. Her run was big enough for her to get plenty of exercise. There were dogs in the runs on either side of her but the dogs are always kept separated at this kennel - at no time do they take more than one dog out at a time. Keep looking - I think you'll be able to find a kennel for your dog.

 

[TerriP]

Is he neutered? The only thing I can think of is if he is showing aggression based on hormones (sp??). Our Beagle is not altered and he will act this way every so often. The key for us has been to firmly establish that WE are alpha and that when we tell him to "leave it" (meaning the other dog) we expect an immediate response.

You could try having a specific command (we use "leave it") that he can associate with the need to walk away from other dogs. That has worked well for us.

Good luck. I know you can work through this with him. Beagles are stubborn, as I'm sure you know, but oh so proud to please once they figure you out!

 

[~Sparkly~Zoe]

Have you checked with the vet on this?

 

[ahutton]

It sounds like he is just trying to determine his place in a pack of dogs, and be an alpha dog, which is fairly normal behavior for any male dog in a social situation. After a few minutes of introduction does he play well with the other dogs?

 

[PaintedStuff]

Now that Prozac is available in generic form you might talk to your vet about a prescription. I had a lab who was a bit nutty like your beagle and the vet wanted to put him on Prozac but it was way too expensive at the time (this was around 1997). Dogs have been prescribed Prozac (small doses) for years - it's a tried and true therapy.

And yes, neutering will help.

 

[Dodie]

I thought of neutering right away too. Many male dogs begin to show aggressive tendencies as they get older/more mature if they have not been neutered. It's instinct for them to try to assert themselves as the head of the pack/top male/top dog.

I would talk to your vet. Although your dog went through puppy obedience class, that may not be enough. You may need to find a trainer that specializes in training dogs that are showing dog aggression or people aggression. This can be overcome, but it will take some forcefulness.

 

[Jenzebelle]

He has been neutered, and like I said before the vet has absolutely no concern about it whatsoever. She says he's trying to establish himself as the alpha male in the situation and after a few minutes he'll be fine - once he's been established in the pack order.

He's a very friendly dog and is not always agressive towards other animals - I'm more concerned about the intial barking and bad behavior when we take him out places.
Thanks for the advice